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Vet Age Token...

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Lord Frodo

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The biggest issue i see is most vets have yes paid for 13/14/15 years like me soon....and yes thay paid #10 per month.. so yes peeps would have to pay #120 to advance a year........The issue is...most vets will have wasted a few picks along them years....so come 14 year shard shield time they may onky have 4-6 picks left...which means onky 4-6 shards to choose.....If someone advanced a new account they would accumulate a lot of picks they had not wasted down the years ...saying that if someone wants to waste $10 x12 months x 5 years ..........''to advance 5 yearS'' and get 10 picks.... thats a lotta real cash...LOL
There have been threads about a Vet Reward Turn-In Program and I for one would welcome this %100. OMG I have lost count of all the 1st yr rewards I have from claiming/buying bigger houses/Vets giving them to me/IDOCs we truely need a Vet Reward Turn-In Program to go along with this Account Aging Program.
 

Irulia Darkaith

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Real issue is that there are new players disgruntled over having to wait for X number of years to get something,
Real issue is everyone is disgruntled over something in this game and that's not gonna change. Here's a new idea, play the game and stop complaining over absolutely everything that doesn't make you 100% happy (and yes I'm guilty of whining, just look through my posting history). Find the aspects of the game you like and play it, don't get drawn into the whole "keeping up with" attitude. That ideal is what frustrates and makes people quit the game thus denying them the uber veteran status that I have :p sorry couldn't resist that last part :p - but the first part was genuine.

Speaking of conduct in a game defining you, I remember attending on of those EM events, and after going through all the events over the months, roleplaying and helping and having fun, we finally had the big end fight. After all the dust had cleared the cries were heard around the land..."what dropped" " did anyone get anything", " I didn't get anything that's not fair", and after all the tears and shouting it turned out that several uber players from a foreign shard, as well as a few local sampires, got credit and won all the special EM items. I sat their stewing in my virtual chair, angry that I had played along through all the scenarios and wasn't given a reward, whereas players from a completely different shard, dropped in for the finale, got their uber item, and left as quietly as they had come, going back to their own shard to decorate with their new shiny pixel crack. But as I sat their I thought to myself....who really cares? It's a damn game. The scenario was fun, ironically it was the lame finale that gave out the special item. Why add my voice to the growing "it's not fair" movement, it's a sandbox game. For years I've played through unfair practices, poorly coded designs, lag that would make any new player quit, etc etc. This is what defined me, I can tell boring "when I was young" stories till your ears bleed. This is what defined me, and how do you know I lived through all this? Cause I have a freaking awesome boura that I ride throughout the lands, and when it's time for bed, I toss it in a garden shed that you will never own noob. :p got you again, fool you once, shame on me...fool you twice..and..um, you're a fool? That doesn't sound right....anyway :p Just kidding, I actually rarely ride a boura and hate the garden sheds so I sold them to another vet, but again the sentiment (the first, long part) does hold true. So when all the dust settles, I can be certain of one thing...even as I watch the young'uns cover the land in bouras, garden sheds and lockers, they'll still be left wanting more, and after they're gone, and their houses fall, I'll be there, camping their IDOCs, wondering what we're getting for a 20th year vet reward. Bless this great game!

Wow, do I like to type!

Where this thread was doomed to fail was trying to make everyone see someone else's point of view. What it comes down to is, we want what we want cause we want it, and if we don't get it, it's not fair. And that goes for everyone, no matter which side you take, or how eloquently you argue your point.

Meanwhile back on Atlantic players are supposedly getting some banner as an apology for the Atlantic shard revert. I guess I'll whine about not getting one of those...it's not my fault my shard didn't get reverted ...I'll gladly pay $3.99 for this banner, after all, the shard revert didn't define my game play so why should I have to wait 15 years for an unfortunate shard revert to come to my shard? I should be able to buy that, after all I pay my monthly fees...maybe they could make it a 17 year vet reward! That will make everyone happy.

Peace out.
 

Lefty

Lore Keeper
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Stratics Legend
I say a big NO to this idea. I have had my account (which is in good standing) since 99. You need to put in your time, point blank.
 

THP

Always Present
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Stratics Legend
There have been threads about a Vet Reward Turn-In Program and I for one would welcome this %100. OMG I have lost count of all the 1st yr rewards I have from claiming/buying bigger houses/Vets giving them to me/IDOCs we truely need a Vet Reward Turn-In Program to go along with this Account Aging Program.
If this is the case...i need start hoarding those 39k/49k first year crap ones sharpish!!!!!..instead of selling them for peanuts..but surely i cant be as easy as turn in 14 x 1st year for a 14th year.. that would be plain silly!!...maybe 5x first year for a 1x 2nd year..then 5x 2nd year for a 1x 3rd year etc etc
 
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Olahorand

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If this is the case...i need start hoarding those 39k/49k first year crap ones sharpish!!!!!..instead of selling them for peanuts..but surely i cant be as easy as turn in 14 x 1st year for a 14th year.. that would be plain silly!!...maybe 5x first year for a 1x 2nd year..then 5x 2nd year for a 1x 3rd year etc etc
Why not? The original exchange rate would even have been 1 selection = 1 reward, independent from age. So making 3 groups (0-5, 6-10, >10) and swapping one reward of the same group or 2/3 rewards of a lower group for a reward in the higher one would make sense.
Keep in mind, not every player who ever misselected rewards from todays point of view has a bunch on top from IDOCs, purchasing etc.
Eventually this could also be limited like the shard shield - 1 exchange per month per account (per shard).
 
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Wenchkin

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Y'know, no veteran has done anything wrong by accepting the current system, or supporting it. In other games and RL businesses, long term customers are rewarded all the time. Without a rage party of newer customers squealing about it. And the benefits aren't just stuff in a game, they're much more valuable. I bet some of you receive these rewards elsewhere and don't complain about it. But someone gets a shed in UO before you and out come the fighting gloves.

I'm tempted to say ok, let's just wipe the vet rewards system entirely. Rather than rewarding this degree of childishness over some pixels.

Wenchy
 

virtualhabitat

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As I read through some of the comments I find that This is not an either/or type of problem for me.

I actually am a relatively newer player (26 month and 22 month accounts) and I have not expressed a desire to be given every sort of gift older vets have been given.
I did point out, what seems to me, inconsistencies with certain gifts such as dying tubs and other items.

I can say that in my own experience, That I had more than enough gold to purchace an ethy horse/llama in about 3 months of playing, but instead of forking over 3 million or so for a llama, I had to fork over 8 million for a charger. That is stupid and unfair considering how common ethy rewards are traded among players. The only reason chargers are worth more is because they aren't a vet reward. If they were they would cost the same as the others.

I have a chest in my house full of reward robes and cloaks I cant wear that I picked up off the ground at Luna bank. These rewards are so despised people don't even bother trying to sell them. they just drop them on the ground for newbies -newbies who aren't allowed to use them.

I see people selling their vet rewards all the time. Deed boxes, dye tubs, seed boxes, ethy mounts, whatever. Don't want me to get one for free? Fine with me. Just let my account use them so I can buy them (from vets who want to sell them).

It's really nice to see someone put a seed box on the porch so folks can use it. Unfortunately, the only people who can use it already have one.
 
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BeaIank

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I see people selling their vet rewards all the time. Deed boxes, dye tubs, seed boxes, ethy mounts, whatever. Don't want me to get one for free? Fine with me. Just let my account use them so I can buy them (from vets who want to sell them).

It's really nice to see someone put a seed box on the porch so folks can use it. Unfortunately, the only people who can use it already have one.
So much this.
My oldest account is 20 months old. I don't care if I can't claim those vet rewards, but at least let me use them.
It is entirely too stupid that I have to wait several years to use an item that I bought from a vendor or was gifted by a friend.
 

Olahorand

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Overregulation - this is an issue with the most usable rewards.
While account age limitations for ethies and clothing can be understood and do not that much influence the gameplay, I would also vote for fully removing these limitations for using dye tubs, placing house deco including davies locker and garden shed and such.
For shard shield either the account binding or the account age binding for placing the deed should also be removed.
 
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KLOMP

Sage
Stratics Veteran
"Sorry EA, you can't sell these for money, and sorry newbies you can't have these items until 2020+ even if you're willing to shell out cash. Sure it benefits players, and the game, and doesn't actually effect me in any meaningful way, but it would make my feelings about my pixels a little less special and the universe revolves around ME ME ME."

And then you try to make it sound like everyone ELSE is somehow greedy and selfish.
 
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Madrid

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Some things I find hard to grasp:

1). Why the bleep does anyone care what rewards I choose with my picks? My Veteran reward picks will not affect you in any way shape or form. Not one iota. Who cares? All that happens is I get some happiness and satisfaction out of the game. God forbid...

2) Player A has earned more choices than player B. If both player A and player B are allowed to choose from the same group of rewards how is this not fair to player A?

These are rhetorical questions...

Thinks to himself "It's going to be 10+ years before I even make a pick. If I'm alive still".

Whereas if I could choose from any reward on the list I'd be thinking to myself "I can't wait...10 more months and I get another 2 picks". Hooray!

Why are the veterans so uptight when each year you are getting rewarded with 2 more choices? How the hell is that not reward enough?
 

Lord Frodo

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If this is the case...i need start hoarding those 39k/49k first year crap ones sharpish!!!!!..instead of selling them for peanuts..but surely i cant be as easy as turn in 14 x 1st year for a 14th year.. that would be plain silly!!...maybe 5x first year for a 1x 2nd year..then 5x 2nd year for a 1x 3rd year etc etc
Why not? The original exchange rate would even have been 1 selection = 1 reward, independent from age. So making 3 groups (0-5, 6-10, >10) and swapping one reward of the same group or 2/3 rewards of a lower group for a reward in the higher one would make sense.
Keep in mind, not every player who ever misselected rewards from todays point of view has a bunch on top from IDOCs, purchasing etc.
Eventually this could also be limited like the shard shield - 1 exchange per month per account (per shard).
The one idea I liked the best was like the Clean-up point system. The more you turn in the more points get added to your total points.

Turn in points
  1. yr = .5
  2. yr = 1
  3. yr = 1.5
  4. yr = 2
  5. you get the inea
Reward Points
  1. yr = 1
  2. yr = 2
  3. so on and so on.
Now you would have to turn in 30 1st yr rewards to get enough points to pick a 15th yr reward. This would sure clean up a lot of those vet rewards.
 

popps

Always Present
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I think it is just wonderfull that at least for once, there is something that money can't buy........

The Veteran reward program is IMHO well thought out, well assorted, and active age only counter is actual time that goes by through the time that the account is maintained as active......

If there is players who have a problem with Shard Shields then perhaps the solution is NOT changing a Veteran program that is good and works well, but instead reduce significantly the price for the purchaseable transfer tokens to make them more cheaply available for larger useage from willing players.
 

Madrid

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Well thought out? I don't think any thought was given to it at all, if there was some thought it wouldn't be so biased. This system was put in place 2001 and is outdated. You think these guys were thinking about the effect on new players attaining veteran status when they created it?

As an 11 year Veteran of Ultima Online (5 years on my first account which went poof/6 Years on my current) I think it's a sham.

If anything needs revamping besides the graphics it's Veteran Rewards System.

Mesanna: "We have discussed this several times due to the fact we want all players to be equal but we also want to honor our Vets, the people that have stayed with us for so long. So yes we are still kicking this subject around."

You are honoring them and you have been by giving them 2 more rewards each year, meanwhile your sticking to many other veteran players by severely limiting our choices.
 
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Blood Ghoul

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Stratics Veteran
I think it is just wonderfull that at least for once, there is something that money can't buy.........
Well..thats where you are wrong. I was just at the birthday celebration a couple months back and at lunch a girl at our table was talking how she has only been playing 5 years but just bought a 14 year account and she was so happy in a couple months she could choose the 15 year reward. So money can still buy the vet rewards..

But over the past 2 days I am starting to feel the desire to play UO fading. A couple months ago i would have gladly forked over the several hundred needed to earn 3 years but today I would not...

BG
 

Lord Frodo

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I think it is just wonderfull that at least for once, there is something that money can't buy........
Now that is funny because that is exactly what your money did buy. Please tell me any in-game requirements that you have to do or have ever done the warrent a Vet Reward. NONE

Vet Rewards a based on you paying your subs and has nothing to do with in-game UO at all. You bought every one of your Vet Rewards. You don't have to log-in to get them, just to claim them. Give me a break, something money can't buy, that's a load of crap.
 
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virtualhabitat

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I think it is just wonderfull that at least for once, there is something that money can't buy........

The Veteran reward program is IMHO well thought out, well assorted, and active age only counter is actual time that goes by through the time that the account is maintained as active......

If there is players who have a problem with Shard Shields then perhaps the solution is NOT changing a Veteran program that is good and works well, but instead reduce significantly the price for the purchaseable transfer tokens to make them more cheaply available for larger useage from willing players.
So Popps,
If I go over to some other forum and buy a vet account with a dozen reward picks from a broker then I deserve those rewards right? I mean I can say I earned it! Right?
The reward program is obviously well thought out and well assorted in your opinion, so this must be true.
I wonder how many active vet accounts are being played by the original account holder.
 
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popps

Always Present
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You are honoring them and you have been by giving them 2 more rewards each year, meanwhile your sticking to many other veteran players by severely limiting our choices.
Just to name the latest, a highly wanted new Veteran Reward, the Davies' Locker Table, was made an 8th Year Veteran Reward. So, as I see it, every year there is something added, highly desirable, for all sorts of years.

The Red Soulstone is 1st Year and we all know how much usefull are soulstones in this game. Even though Soulstones are items from which the game gets resources, because they are sold for real money, the Developers choose to add them, and even as a 1st Year reward !!!

This as well as many other examples from within the Veteran Program assortment of rewards show me that the program is well thought out and well maintained, tear after year.

As I said, if there are players having problems with Shard Shields, even though they have much larger limitations as compared to the transfer tokens which can be purchased, this could be well addressed by toning down significantly the price for regular transfer tokens or offering promotions like buy 5 for the price of 2, whatever. I see no need to mess up with a good Veteran program which can be very usefull as it is for those who run the game to make assessment of what resources to count on over time for a better management of those resources for longer lasting programs to the benefit of Ultima Online.
 
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popps

Always Present
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So Popps,
If I go over to some other forum and buy a vet account with a dozen reward picks from a broker then I deserve those rewards right? I mean I can say I earned it! Right?
The reward program is obviously well thought out and well assorted in your opinion, so this must be true.
I wonder how many active vet accounts are being played by the original account holder.
If you search out my older posts, you may find other posts with the topic Veteran Rewards were I was suggesting, when claiming a Veteran reward, to add an additional level of verification of the actual original age of the account by needing to introduce the original UO registration number that was sticked on the jewel case that came with the UO CD. I was criticized by many for this suggestion because, I was told, many original account players over these years may have lost their original jewel case and so no longer have access to their original registration number.

But even that considered, I guess that perhaps all changes on a given account are logged from management so, if an account changes hands because the credit card paying for the subscription is from a different person, or because the IP address registered upon logging on a given UO account changes, perhaps it would still be possible to tell if and when an account has changed user and start the Veteran active age anew, accordingly. How about this as a suggestion to the Developers ?
 

Lady CaT

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Now that is funny because that is exactly what your money did buy. Please tell me any in-game requirements that you have to do or have ever done the warrent a Vet Reward. NONE

Vet Rewards a based on you paying your subs and has nothing to do with in-game UO at all. You bought every one of your Vet Rewards. You don't have to log-in to get them, just to claim them. Give me a break, something money can't buy, that's a load of crap.


Sorry Fordo,

Not all the rewards were available to me in year one. I had to maintain my account for a 15 year period to get access to those later rewards. You argument is not correct. No I did not have to log in. But I did have to wait 15 years to get the later rewards.
 

Merus

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Sorry Fordo,

Not all the rewards were available to me in year one. I had to maintain my account for a 15 year period to get access to those later rewards. You argument is not correct. No I did not have to log in. But I did have to wait 15 years to get the later rewards.
I think there is a fundemental difference in the understanding of your term wait. Those with 15 year old accounts never had to wait for any vet reward. They were available to you the day they became available ingame. IMO to "wait" for something it would need to be available ingame but unavailable to you.
 

Gorbs

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I don't see the problem with pixel crack rewards being limited to older accounts, but at 15 years running we've reached the point where some players will likely never be able to obtain certain vet rewards. The dev team should have combated this years ago by shifting towards a system where a new tier was not added each year. If the system cut off at 10 years, an 11 year vet might have received their additional reward choice(s) plus some sort of automatic prize.

Focusing on what does matter, I can't justify the skill cap increases anymore. If you have a player sitting at 12 months of account age, they are not going to keep their account open for another 12 months just to get that skill increase. You could sell skill cap increase tokens for $19.99 at the Origin store though. Give +10 skill cap at 12 mo and +20 at 24 mo still with a 720 cap, but allow players who do not want to wait to increase through those tokens. As an example, a 3 mo account could buy two tokens and be at 720. A 12 mo account player could buy 1 token and be at 720. Who would this possibly hurt?
 

Lady CaT

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So this whole argument is really a proposal to scrap the veteran rewards program. So that players (old or new) can simply buy the items in the UO store?
 
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Merus

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So this whole argument is really a proposal to scrap the veteran rewards program. So that players (old or new) can simply buy the items in the UO store?
I would hope that is not the route they take. I think the Dev team needs to take a serious look at what constitutes "veteran" status along what is a reasonable amount of time to actually wait for content that is in game to be made available toa new player. When the vet program began, that wait time was @ 3 years. I still believe that is the right amount of time. Once you have paid for 36 months of gametime, all of the vet rewards should be available as a choice of reward. Additional years of playtime result in additional selections from the list.

I would not be in favor of being able to age an account via a token, particularly if that age is greater than the creation date of the account.
 

Wenchkin

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I think instead of trying to find ways to get rewards sooner, we may be better to discuss exactly which item properties you guys feel ought to be available to younger accounts. Exactly what items/properties are so important? I know the skill cap is an issue, I'm talking about the items on vet rewards themselves.

And if you could get those properties in replica items from the store, vets can still have full vet rewards without hurting younger players. Problem solved.

Because really, capping rewards after a couple of years or making items available in the game store... you may as well scrap any notion of a veteran reward. It's not rewarding veteran players, but those who are newest in the game. You may as well give item picks when someone adds gametime to their account lol. Actually that idea works ok in Dofus, I got a few lovely art books and pets that way. But it's a shame when a customer loyalty program like this turns into insulting veterans for hanging around, then trying to redistribute those loyalty rewards among the newest players.

Wenchy
 

Merus

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What I think is a shame is when veteran players fight so hard to maintain the exclusivity of items while at the same time declaring how irrelevant those items to game play. IMO you can not successfully maintain both assertions.

A 15 year vet has somewhere around 28 reward choices, while a 3 year vet has more like 7. I see nothing insulting to those very old account if a 3 year account has 1/4 the number of rewards just because those rewards can be picked from the same list. Furthermore, it does not diminish the usefulness of any of those rewards, just their exclusivity.

And for the record, my oldest account was created in Dec of 1998, so I am not some new player just out to get new rewards. I think a change like this would improve the overall health of the game at the expense of nothing but a little exclusivity.
 

Wenchkin

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What I think is a shame is when veteran players fight so hard to maintain the exclusivity of items while at the same time declaring how irrelevant those items to game play. IMO you can not successfully maintain both assertions.
An item can be desirable without having any properties whatsoever. Or totally undesirable even even with properties lol. If you want specific properties, list those you want. If you want properties removed from some items, say what those are.

A 15 year vet has somewhere around 28 reward choices, while a 3 year vet has more like 7. I see nothing insulting to those very old account if a 3 year account has 1/4 the number of rewards just because those rewards can be picked from the same list. Furthermore, it does not diminish the usefulness of any of those rewards, just their exclusivity.
Or use replicas so younger players can access the items and properties with just a minor visual difference so vets can have something but it takes nothing away from younger players.

And for the record, my oldest account was created in Dec of 1998, so I am not some new player just out to get new rewards. I think a change like this would improve the overall health of the game at the expense of nothing but a little exclusivity.
You think it's exclusivity that matters? Not to all of us. I have no interest in exclusivity, that just means if the game eats it you can't replace it heh. I just like that there are items in game which you are only using if your account is over a certain age. It's fun seeing how old everyone is and being able to wear something that indicates that. Whether it's a mount or some vet clothing. We have indicators for having done certain quests and such, it says something about a character. It's more fun than just a title or having it in your profile.

Wenchy
 

Lord Frodo

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I would hope that is not the route they take. I think the Dev team needs to take a serious look at what constitutes "veteran" status along what is a reasonable amount of time to actually wait for content that is in game to be made available toa new player. When the vet program began, that wait time was @ 3 years. I still believe that is the right amount of time. Once you have paid for 36 months of gametime, all of the vet rewards should be available as a choice of reward. Additional years of playtime result in additional selections from the list.

I would not be in favor of being able to age an account via a token, particularly if that age is greater than the creation date of the account.
Veteran Rewards were introduced in late 2001 so some of us only had to wait about 1 yr for our 3rd yr rewards. We got back credit for time served LOL
 

Merus

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I just like that there are items in game which you are only using if your account is over a certain age.
Unless I am missing something, this IS exclusivity.

If there are any items in the veterna reward selections that you feel are not desirable, I whole heartedly invite you not to pick these items when you select your rewards. I am not going to speculate as to which items in the vet reward system are desirable, as that is a personal choice.

Or use replicas so younger players can access the items and properties with just a minor visual difference so vets can have something but it takes nothing away from younger players.
And what does it take away from you if a younger account gets the exact same items as you, other than exclusivity? I would not advocate that top tier rewards be available to a 1 day old account, but after 36 months I say its time to open the doors and treat them as veterans... the same as you or I.
 

Lord Frodo

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What I think is a shame is when veteran players fight so hard to maintain the exclusivity of items while at the same time declaring how irrelevant those items to game play. IMO you can not successfully maintain both assertions.

A 15 year vet has somewhere around 28 reward choices, while a 3 year vet has more like 7. I see nothing insulting to those very old account if a 3 year account has 1/4 the number of rewards just because those rewards can be picked from the same list. Furthermore, it does not diminish the usefulness of any of those rewards, just their exclusivity.
Isn't it funny how tightly they want to hold on to thier pixels. I too do not understand this one bit. Why are old Vets still here or maintain thier accounts? #1 it is still fun for me, #2 I would hate to lose my houses and all my stuff and it is hard as hell to throw away $1800. Younger accounts will walk away faster than older accounts because they have less time and money invested in UO. Now if they were allowed to age thier account they would not have as much time as an older Vet but they sure would have the money invested and that alone would be a hard thing to walk away from. I am not saying this is true %100 because RL does come in sometimes and forces you to make choices bit for the most part IMHO more younger accounts would stay because of the money they just laid out.
And for the record, my oldest account was created in Dec of 1998, so I am not some new player just out to get new rewards. I think a change like this would improve the overall health of the game at the expense of nothing but a little exclusivity.
I just a young pup to you, 179 mo. One more month till I hit the big 15.
 

Lord Frodo

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Sorry Fordo,

Not all the rewards were available to me in year one. I had to maintain my account for a 15 year period to get access to those later rewards. You argument is not correct. No I did not have to log in. But I did have to wait 15 years to get the later rewards.
Thier were no rewards available to me in yr 1, the Vet Reward System wasn't there till late 2001. I will get my 15th in one month and yes I too had to wait but UO needs help and some people are trying to come up with ways to help keep the Younger Vets here. IMHO the NOOB title runs out at 1 yr. They are Vet just like us. Nobody is saying here have this for free. For example only a 3rd yr Vet as paid $360 and a 15th yr Vet has paid $1,800 now if that 3rd yr Vet was will to fork over $ 1,440 to UO to age thier account then I say let them. They have now invested the same thing into UO as a 15th yr Vet and the only thing they missed was the 12 years of fun. Playing UO is not the investment, paying for UO is.

If you just started UO lets say 6 mo ago would you think, I only have 14 1/2 yrs to go b4 I get a 15th yr reward or would you think Is UO even going to be here for another 14 1/2 yrs? I hope so but I have seen to many players leave and what worries me the most is the amount of DEVs we have lost.
2005 - 81 Names on the Raindeer/Sleighs DEVs
2012 - what was there 10 Names Total on the Pointseta.

Also look at UOStratics and the number of new posts we see daily, I remember reading 3 and 4 pages of new posts a day and now we are lucky to see half a page.

UO has been slowly bleading to death and we need to stop the bleading by keeping as many players around as we can and then some how we need to pump some new blood in. So I for one am willing to do what ever I can to help and you would think that a lot of older player would be willing to do the samething, but I guess not. :(
 

Zosimus

Grand Inquisitor
Alumni
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
15 years of vet rewards.


Number 1 song when UO was released : Mo Money Mo Probelms by The Notorious B.I.G. featuring Puff Daddy and Mase

Number 1 movie when UO was relased: In & Out starring Kevin Kline, Matt Dillion, Joan Cusak, Debbie Renolds and some others.

Number 1 TV show when UO was released: ER

Number 1 economical issue when UO was released: Asian Financial Crisis


How times have changed since UO was released but the things I wrote up there have things in common with the issue of vet rewards. Somebody will figure it out.
 

Lord Frodo

Stratics Legend
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
UNLEASHED
15 years of vet rewards.


Number 1 song when UO was released : Mo Money Mo Probelms by The Notorious B.I.G. featuring Puff Daddy and Mase

Number 1 movie when UO was relased: In & Out starring Kevin Kline, Matt Dillion, Joan Cusak, Debbie Renolds and some others.

Number 1 TV show when UO was released: ER

Number 1 economical issue when UO was released: Asian Financial Crisis


How times have changed since UO was released but the things I wrote up there have things in common with the issue of vet rewards. Somebody will figure it out.
Mo Money Mo Probelms - No Money No Problems No UO
In & Out - More players OUT then IN
ER - UO on lifesupport, bleads to death
Asian Financial Crisis - World Financial Crisis Cutbacks UO lost even more DEVs what 10 people left.
 
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KLOMP

Sage
Stratics Veteran
Y'know, no veteran has done anything wrong by accepting the current system, or supporting it. In other games and RL businesses, long term customers are rewarded all the time. Without a rage party of newer customers squealing about it. And the benefits aren't just stuff in a game, they're much more valuable. I bet some of you receive these rewards elsewhere and don't complain about it. But someone gets a shed in UO before you and out come the fighting gloves.
"Hi, is this Acme Pizzeria? Yeah well I'm a regular customer of yours and I have a complaint. No, no, the pizza is fine. Delicious, in fact. It's just... you know those cards you punch, where if you buy four pizzas, you get free salad and breadsticks with the fifth one? Yeah the little red cards. No, no, I got my free salad and breadsticks just fine, like usual.

It's just that... I've recently discovered that you guys also SELL salad and breadsticks! For money! I've never been so insulted in all my life! Well yes I know they had to PAY for theirs while mine were free, but those breadsticks were supposed to be a special bond, man, representing my patronage. This free salad tastes like ashes on my tongue whenever I think about the fact that someone else somewhere is also getting to eat salad.

Why does everyone except me have to be so greedy? I demaned that you stop selling salad and breadsticks and refuse to let anyone have them until they've bought pizza four times previous-- hello? Hello? Oh well time to call the cable company and tell them that free month of HBO they gave me means no one else can pay for HBO."
 

Wenchkin

Babbling Loonie
Alumni
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
Unless I am missing something, this IS exclusivity.
Well, if the fact that one item is a replica and the other is not means you're still bothered, then I think it's getting a little petty. I'm suggesting replicas so there may be a chance that we find a compromise that gives old and new players whatever properties and items they desire without entirely killing the spirit behind vet rewards - having anything based on age. Really, if it's gotten so petty that a replica tag is still too exclusive, and you think us vets are in the wrong for not sharing this pixel envy... we've reached a new level of crazy.

If there are any items in the veterna reward selections that you feel are not desirable, I whole heartedly invite you not to pick these items when you select your rewards. I am not going to speculate as to which items in the vet reward system are desirable, as that is a personal choice.
I've got no attachment to any properties on the rewards, and you guys are the ones who want them so why would I make the list? The offer is there from me - take whatever properties you want. But the devs can't help you out unless you give specifics.

And what does it take away from you if a younger account gets the exact same items as you, other than exclusivity? I would not advocate that top tier rewards be available to a 1 day old account, but after 36 months I say its time to open the doors and treat them as veterans... the same as you or I.
I've already said take the same looking items and properties and just put a replica tag on them. You don't want to budge on helping these imagined younger accounts, but you expect vets to roll over to all your demands or state reasons why they aren't totally compliant? I think you want your cake and you want to eat it. I'd happily take a replica of the older rewards I'm not likely to own, so if you're trying to convince me that a replica tag hurts a younger player, good luck. I'm not suggesting anything I wouldn't accept myself, it's you who seems to want the stars in the sky.

Wenchy
 

Zosimus

Grand Inquisitor
Alumni
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
Mo Money Mo Probelms - No Money No Problems No UO
In & Out - More players OUT then IN
ER - UO on lifesupport, bleads to death
Asian Financial Crisis - World Financial Crisis Cutbacks UO lost even more DEVs what 10 people left.

LMAO!!!

Not what I was leading into but lol that was very good.

Excellent job Frodo.
 

Irulia Darkaith

Sage
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
"Hi, is this Acme Pizzeria? Yeah well I'm a regular customer of yours and I have a complaint. No, no, the pizza is fine. Delicious, in fact. It's just... you know those cards you punch, where if you buy four pizzas, you get free salad and breadsticks with the fifth one? Yeah the little red cards. No, no, I got my free salad and breadsticks just fine, like usual.

It's just that... I've recently discovered that you guys also SELL salad and breadsticks! For money! I've never been so insulted in all my life! Well yes I know they had to PAY for theirs while mine were free, but those breadsticks were supposed to be a special bond, man, representing my patronage. This free salad tastes like ashes on my tongue whenever I think about the fact that someone else somewhere is also getting to eat salad.

Why does everyone except me have to be so greedy? I demaned that you stop selling salad and breadsticks and refuse to let anyone have them until they've bought pizza four times previous-- hello? Hello? Oh well time to call the cable company and tell them that free month of HBO they gave me means no one else can pay for HBO."
oooh, bad analogies, let me try...

It's like winning a trophy, and then having the guy next to you buy the same one for $5. In your mind, I still have my little bit of plastic with the engraved plate, so I shouldn't be bothered that you have one too.
 

Merus

Crazed Zealot
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
UNLEASHED
Well, if the fact that one item is a replica and the other is not means you're still bothered, then I think it's getting a little petty. I'm suggesting replicas so there may be a chance that we find a compromise that gives old and new players whatever properties and items they desire without entirely killing the spirit behind vet rewards - having anything based on age. Really, if it's gotten so petty that a replica tag is still too exclusive, and you think us vets are in the wrong for not sharing this pixel envy... we've reached a new level of crazy.


I've got no attachment to any properties on the rewards, and you guys are the ones who want them so why would I make the list? The offer is there from me - take whatever properties you want. But the devs can't help you out unless you give specifics.


I've already said take the same looking items and properties and just put a replica tag on them. You don't want to budge on helping these imagined younger accounts, but you expect vets to roll over to all your demands or state reasons why they aren't totally compliant? I think you want your cake and you want to eat it. I'd happily take a replica of the older rewards I'm not likely to own, so if you're trying to convince me that a replica tag hurts a younger player, good luck. I'm not suggesting anything I wouldn't accept myself, it's you who seems to want the stars in the sky.

Wenchy
The point is, whether they make new ones say replica or not, it has absolutley no impact on the ones you have. Why not just lower the "veteran" age so that more people can claim them. The only reason not to, is to maintain the exclusivity of those items for old accounts.
 

Irulia Darkaith

Sage
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
The point is, whether they make new ones say replica or not, it has absolutley no impact on the ones you have. Why not just lower the "veteran" age so that more people can claim them. The only reason not to, is to maintain the exclusivity of those items for old accounts.
The two sides are clearly miles apart, if this was a marriage we would have no choice but to file for divorce on grounds of irreconcilable differences (oh, and in the settlement I want the boura, you can have the black dye tub, it's not like you can ride the boura anyway - okay, that was mean).

Telling us it doesn't impact us is insulting, if it didn't impact us do you think we'd be four pages deep into this thread trying to explain to you exactly how it does impact us! That's like me telling you it shouldn't hurt when I punch you in the face cause I don't feel a thing when I do it.

So rather than telling us how it doesn't have an impact on us, try and understand. For you it might just be pixels that you want, it's just a game. For long term vets, it's the only recognition we have ever received, recognition of what we've been through, a way of saying...

"Thanks for sticking with it for so long! Cause if you've been actively paying and playing for 10, 12, or 15+ years this game surely means a lot to you, and gosh darn it, please take these few pixels as our way of saying "thanks for being there" (cue the violins and pass the kleenex). Handing out those symbolic bit of pixels to anyone with a few bucks is offensive and it does impact cause it says...yeah, thanks but your loyalty is only worth the ink on the currency with which you pay your monthly subscription.
 

KLOMP

Sage
Stratics Veteran
oooh, bad analogies, let me try...

It's like winning a trophy, and then having the guy next to you buy the same one for $5. In your mind, I still have my little bit of plastic with the engraved plate, so I shouldn't be bothered that you have one too.
A trophy is an award granted as a symbol of achievement in a competition.
Free breadsticks are an automatic bonus granted to reward patronage.

Now explain to me, pumpkin, which of these two things is the Veteran Reward system most similar to?

Did you have to win a contest in order to claim your Veteran Rewards? Who else was in this competition? What ability was required in order to win? Who were the losers and what did they get? I didn't have to win anything to get mine, I just had to keep providing patronage in the form of a subscription fee.

Some of you people are actually PROUD of your little "Thanks for paying, we don't care if you've never even left the bank, but thanks for the cash" prizes, aren't you? Gee that totally isn't pathetic.
 
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Arrgh

Sage
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
A trophy is an award granted as a symbol of achievement in a competition.
Free breadsticks are an automatic bonus granted to reward patronage.

Now explain to me, pumpkin, which of these two things is the Veteran Reward system most similar to?

Did you have to win a contest in order to claim your Veteran Rewards? Who else was in this competition? What ability was required in order to win? Who were the losers and what did they get? I didn't have to win anything to get mine, I just had to keep providing patronage in the form of a subscription fee.

Some of you people are actually PROUD of your little "Thanks for paying, we don't care if you've never even left the bank, but thanks for the cash" prizes, aren't you? Gee that totally isn't pathetic.

Their "Precious" must never ever be shared with others or tears will ensue if said "precious" items are shared despite how ridiculous they are to acquire at this point in this game's history. What a crock.
 

Wenchkin

Babbling Loonie
Alumni
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
The point is, whether they make new ones say replica or not, it has absolutley no impact on the ones you have. Why not just lower the "veteran" age so that more people can claim them. The only reason not to, is to maintain the exclusivity of those items for old accounts.
The replica option is a compromise to meet the desires of both sides in the middle. That replica tag has no impact whatsoever on a newer player either.... In fact the replica system would at least ensure players got some little gift each year they stick with UO.

You on the other hand can't accept a player even lacking a replica tag on an item. You aren't going to try meeting veterans with a compromise, you want to take the veteran reward system and scrap it entirely. Turn them into an item giveaway for the newest players. Nothing stays age linked, so they're just like all the holiday rewards we fill storage with. They have even less meaning or significance: holiday stuff at least has a name and year on it. There is nothing special about your "vet rewards" aside from a couple of items with properties that may still get used. Those newer players you claim to care about will probably leave most of the rewards in a box gathering dust. Because they wouldn't signify anything and their properties aren't exactly going to compete with the items we have freely available. They just get a box of items and nothing to mark that little "thanks for sticking around" birthday.

We should have saved this thread for April 1st....

Wenchy
 

Goldberg-Chessy

Crazed Zealot
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
A trophy is an award granted as a symbol of achievement in a competition.
Free breadsticks are an automatic bonus granted to reward patronage.

Now explain to me, pumpkin, which of these two things is the Veteran Reward system most similar to?

Did you have to win a contest in order to claim your Veteran Rewards? Who else was in this competition? What ability was required in order to win? Who were the losers and what did they get? I didn't have to win anything to get mine, I just had to keep providing patronage in the form of a subscription fee.

Some of you people are actually PROUD of your little "Thanks for paying, we don't care if you've never even left the bank, but thanks for the cash" prizes, aren't you? Gee that totally isn't pathetic.
This is just plain sad. You now have issue with a vet maybe being proud of the fact that he/she stuck around x amount of years and got a nice reward? Do you realize how ridiculous and selfish that makes you sound KLOMP? Where were you bud 14 years ago when UO crashed like every week and reverts were a regular part of UO life? I wonder.
And no, I am not a better player or person just because I was around back then. I am simply a longtime vet. And anyone that cannot understand the whole vet/reward system in UO or in life is just ignorant or jealous. Which is it in this case?

But this thread has even gone way beyond that.

This thread has now degenerated into a sad little guilt trip based upon nothing more then semantics. Someone mistakenly says cash cant buy you vet status or that the rewards are trophies and all the "me me me" people jump all over that lol. Why do they jump in with nothing more then semantics and false competition analogies? Because they have absolutely no other basis for an argument in this case.

People have resorted to saying anything except what they mean: "WHERE IS MY CANDY!"

I know most of the anti vet people in this thread are probably not old enough to have jobs but do the ones that do work rant to their co-workers and bosses every month/year because they are not getting the same longevity bonus as the guy next to them who has been there 10 years longer?
Don't kid yourself. It is exactly the same scenario. The guy next to you that has done nothing more then punch the clock x amount of times more then you is most definitely getting a bigger longevity incentive check then you. It is not a performance bonus or pay raise. It is simply a thank you from the company for punching the clock a lot of times. It makes good business sense and it has been in place for a lot longer then anyone on these boards has walked the earth.

The irony here though is that the fact that this thread has proven to be nothing more then a jealous whinefest with zero validity has probably cemented the current reward system into place even tighter.

*wades back out of the cesspool, again"
 

Irulia Darkaith

Sage
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
"Pumpkin" you don't know me, and you clearly don't know how I play. For the record, vet rewards I "display" on my 15+ account: some statues, 2nd year banners, 4th year hanging skeletons, 5th year ankh, 8th year locker and a boura which I almost never ride. My oldest main character rides a Charger of the Fallen, and until very recently I very much kept to myself both in game and on the forums (a trend I'm wishing I had continued).

As for trophies...I didn't ask for the vet rewards. The devs decided, here is a neat little thing we'd like to do for all of you whom have stuck with the game so long. It was nice, it wasn't game changing. Over the years they have become a bit of a status symbol to us and a sign that we have been around a long time, so yes, it is a trophy, or a medal which someone at EA decided we had earned!

Anyway, that's it I'm done. You've made up your mind, you want your pixels, and you're not going to stop attacking everyone until you get them. So by all means, pay $2000 so you can get a shed to store 250 virtual items. I'll just continue playing the game, at this point the comments in general chat will be a refreshing change from some of the posts I've had to read. And guess what "pumpkin," I'll probably still be playing this game long after most of you have gotten and forgotten you're purchased veteran status.
 

Sean

Slightly Crazed
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
"He got one too so now mine is no good!" is an attitude I typically associate with toddlers.
"He's got that new item and I want it!" "Sorry son but your not old enough to play with that, you'll have to wait a few more years"
Said that many times to my children and now my grandchildren, like many things in this world, one has to put in one's time for certain things. I have no issues with replica's, as was suggested, no reward is game changing IMHO, so I see no reason for this.
 

Lord Frodo

Stratics Legend
Stratics Veteran
Stratics Legend
UNLEASHED
"He's got that new item and I want it!" "Sorry son but your not old enough to play with that, you'll have to wait a few more years"
Said that many times to my children and now my grandchildren, like many things in this world, one has to put in one's time for certain things. I have no issues with replica's, as was suggested, no reward is game changing IMHO, so I see no reason for this.
like many things in this world, one has to put in one's money for certain things.
FIXED This is a game not RL world.
no reward is game changing IMHO
QFT %200 AGREE and yet what do you here NO NO NO UO can't do that it is unfair. LOL

Hate him/her or like him/her this is a FACT.
A trophy is an award granted as a symbol of achievement in a competition.
Did you have to win a contest in order to claim your Veteran Rewards? Who else was in this competition? What ability was required in order to win? Who were the losers and what did they get? I didn't have to win anything to get mine, I just had to keep providing patronage in the form of a subscription fee.
QFT To UO/EA this was all about $$$ and nothing else. I to have paid my dues ($$$) to UO/EA and had to do nothing in game to earn even one of these.
re·ward (r
-wôrd
)
n.
1. Something given or received in recompense for worthy behavior or in retribution for evil acts.
2. Money offered or given for some special service, such as the return of a lost article or the capture of a criminal.
3. A satisfying return or result; profit. $$$
You paid your subs.
4. Psychology The return for performance of a desired behavior; positive reinforcement.
tr.v. re·ward·ed, re·ward·ing, re·wards
1. To give a reward to or for.
2. To satisfy or gratify; recompense.
 
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